Rust Disease - Floor Boards on my1982 Fiat Spider

[Fiatracertracer]

Exterior is in great shape, floor boards are a horror story.

The previous owner attempted to repair the holes from under the car by using aluminum strips and rivets, then filling the voids with foam insulation smoothing them out flush and painting it all black. It fooled me.

How have you all attacked this disease, any advise?

[fredguaz]

Yes! You need to pull the interior out completely, seats, carpet, etc then pull up the sprayed on sound proofing. Likely you will find much more rust but don't despair. Replacement panels can be purchased. You do have access to a MIG welder I hope?
I am in the middle of patching holes in my floor with metal and I had to purchase 2 new seat rails.
There is lots of info on this site if you do a search, mainly in the "restoration" forum.

[aj81spider]

Even if you don't weld it's not that bad - follow Fred's steps (pull interior etc). If the damage is extensive then buy some new floor pans, if not then it can just be patched (mine was like that).

If you don't weld (like me) that is the point to take it to a body shop who can weld in the new floors or patches for you. It's quick and not that expensive if the interior is out and everything is open for them.

[4uall]

May I also suggest some POR15 while you are down there

http://www.por15.com/



floor pans

http://alfaparts.net/

[baltobernie]

Just about all old roadsters leak water, and the water settles in the lowest point of the interior. In the case of the Spider, it's right next to the seat rails. Like all unibody cars, the floor pan of the Spider is part of the structure of the car, so large or critical locations (like the seat rail mounting area) must be repaired by welding in new metal. If the area(s) is small enough and non-structural, you can patch it with fiberglass. Here's how:
http://dcfiats.org/tech/POR-15-2.pdf

[fredguaz]

Racer,
I never welded anything in my life. I bought an Eastwood 135 mig welder and a cart and auto darkening helmet at Harbor Freight and decided to turn my project into an educational experience. I use gas shielding rather than flux core. It's not difficult to learn and for around 500. You'll have a very versatile tool you'll find indispensable. I am doing several patches in floor but probably would have been easier to just replace the entire floor pan, but as stated, it's a learning experience. I also have por15 and the prep ready to go on after the patching.

[Fiatracertracer]

Great advice from all of you.

I went to harbor freight tools and looked over their 90 amp flux core Mig welder, didn't buy it yet but I am considering it.

I did buy a small hand grinder with a hard wire wheel and went to town on the passenger side of the floor boards..... lots of holes and I may need to buy a seat rail. I have my weekend planned out I guess.

But i am making progress and the giant headache doesn't look so bad.

I may get a proposal from an auto body shop to do just the welding.

[ClarkTheShark]

I have the harbor freight $90 rig. Works great. I suggest throwing away the wire that comes with it and going to lowes/home depot to get some lincoln wire.

with some practice, you can make some reputable welds with it. Although I use my gas rig exclusively now, the value of a 90 dollar welder cannot be beat. I suggest that everyone go to Harbor Freight immediately and buy one. Also suggest their auto-darkening facemask. it works great.

[Fiatracertracer]

Lots of work here, today I got a quote from a local welding shop to fill in the rust holes in the floor boards .. $1500.00.

So the Harbor Freight $90 mig welder and about 40 hours of my free time is the way to go.

[fredguaz]

FWIW, although the Shark has had good results with the Harbor freight welder, there are lots of horror stories with it in regards to quality. Do a search. I opted for the Eastwood 135. I'm very happy with it. 299. But I've seen them on sale for 279. My neighbor works for Airgas and he got me a gas bottle (80/20 co2/ argon) for 80. The cart and auto darkening helmet I got at HF and I'm happy with them. ( you definitely want the auto darkening). Using gas will result in much cleaner welds than flux core but they will both require some practice.
Good luck.

[wizard124]

I had a bit of rust, not holes like you describe. I layed in some fiberglass mat and polyester resin. Easy and fast. I don't know how to weld either.

No issues covering the 2 inch hole in the factory floors. I then POR15 over the top.

[fiat218]

Cost be around 600.00 to get my floor pans fixed and get the rails put in, I thought that was kinda high ,but what do I know?
I'm a contractor so I kinda think on the work we do to the work done on a car,labor wise,seems the car labor is higher then what I do for a living,I can't see how that's possible
I can't seem to think that is cost that much labor to remove something and replace it,

[weengra]

If you all go this route be sure (SURE) and KILL the rust with some phosphate chemical treatment before you cover it over with something. If you don't the rust will continue to develop.

[Fiatracertracer]

If you all go this route be sure (SURE) and KILL the rust with some phosphate chemical treatment before you cover it over with something. If you don't the rust will continue to develop.

Weengra, what do you suggest I use?

[juvius]

I like jasco prep and prime. It's cheap and at most hardware stores